Category: Uncategorized

Make a Decision. Response. Pure Talent.

Analysis Paralysis. The Enola Gay. Opera Canine.  

  • Quote of the Week: 

“If you spend too much time thinking about a thing, you’ll never get it done.” — Bruce Lee

Analysis paralysis (or paralysis by analysis) describes an individual or group process where overanalyzing or overthinking a situation can cause forward motion or decision-making to become “paralyzed”, meaning that no solution or course of action is decided upon within a natural timeframe.

We have all been there. What we thought was a simple question or issue inevitably provokes a long, drawn-out dilemma. We are sometimes mystified by the apprehension exhibited by others to answer or act, as the ‘over-thinking complex’ evokes frustration for all. “I was up all-night thinking about it.” “I just cannot make up my mind.” “That is really causing me to be anxious.” We have all heard these responses in what we felt was a reasonable timeframe to act or answer a question. 

I am not making light of ‘analysis paralysis.’ We know that this syndrome can negatively affect business and other professional entities, as well as personal relationships. Indecisiveness or the inability to sort through facts and information to make a decision is a big problem. I am not sure that there is a clear-cut answer to avoid ‘analysis paralysis’ but I do have suggestions:

  • At a minimum, understand when you have hit the wall, overthinking to a point of frustration.
  • Set a drop-dead date to make a decision or act on a dilemma. Figure out how long you can make your friend, partner, spouse, or business associates wait on your decision to avoid the obvious.
  • Get a sanity check. If appropriate, build diversity of thought, seek counsel, and get the best possible advice so that your decision has a better chance of being the best outcome.
  • Shun the details. Refrain from continuously seeking everything you would like to know and keep to what you need to know. Once you have the information or data for what you need to know, it is definitely time to move forward and act, or make your decision. 
  • Be realistic with the situation or dilemma. Just because you arrive at one conclusion or decision does not mean you can never adapt to a new one.

Remember: It doesn’t matter in which direction you choose to move when under a mortar attack, just so long as you MOVE.

Every Decision Comes from Making a Choice.
  • In regard to making a decision: I am stuck at a zoo. Humans laugh, yell, and bang on the glass all day. I would stop the humans from being moronic, but the glass is too thick. I need to ‘voice’ my opinion with these stupid humans and have made a decision to do so. I did not over-think my decision, nor did I need to consult with my family or peers. I made a choice to act. I made a decision. 
Decision Made. 
  • I do not want to be misleading, biased, or in any way persuasive with the following comments. Due to the justmytake ethos of no religion, and no politics, I will give you my take as I see it. Straight up, leaning on a direct but different comparison. What I am presenting deals with collateral damage, a military term relating to the number of ‘innocents’ or civilians killed in war or a specific military insurgence.

I have had enough of the uneducated opinions, the bias of the media, and protests that have no spine. You, of course, can pass judgement on my remarks, or better yet, provide your own take. Do not roll your eyes or shake your head. Read the following and respond to me with your take. It is not difficult to click on the Comments tab and provide your reply to me – good, bad, or ugly.

It has been eight-three years since the attack on Pearl Harbor. The Japanese had two goals: to wipe out the Pacific Fleet and crush the will of the American people. The surprise attack did immense damage to the ships docked at Pearl Harbor, but more importantly and tragically, the Japanese attack resulted in 2,403 Americans killed. Half of them, approximately 1,200, were on one ship, the USS Arizona. The dead included U.S. sailors, soldiers, and civilians.

It has been a little over four months since a terrorist organization breached the fences separating Israel and Gaza. This strategically planned attack was the first invasion of Israel since the 1948 Arab Israeli War. The October 7, 2023, attack on Israel resulted in 1,20o deaths on Israeli soil, including Israeli civilians (thirty-six of them children), seventy-one foreign nationals, and 373 members of Israeli security forces. The terrorists also kidnapped 250 Israelis and foreign nationals, including thirty children, with most of the hostages still held captive today. 

Worldwide, people voiced their opinions on the terrorists and the October 7 massacre of Israeli security forces and civilians, who are without regard called collateral damage. Many are demanding that Israel stand down from their military response with Gaza, where the Hamas terrorist organization is based. Many feel that Israel’s response in Gaza has been too severe and caused too much strife with the civilians of Gaza. 

Let me provide a clear and concise level set: The Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor resulting in 2,403 American deaths. Hamas attacked Israel and killed 1,200 and took 250 hostages, 36 of them children.

The American response with Japan: the two bombs dropped on Japan resulted in 140,000 dead in Hiroshima, and 74,000 in Nagasaki. Those two bombs wiped out an area equivalent to five square miles in both Hiroshima and Nagasaki, with the fallout of nuclear radiation resulting in thousands more Japanese dying from radiation sickness in the weeks, months, and years to follow.

The Israeli response with Gaza: Death and destruction with many areas of Gaza destroyed as the Israelis try to eradicate the Gaza-based terrorist organization, as well as search for the hundreds of hostages. Again, thousands dead and displaced.

I am very unhappy with ANY collateral damage, especially when it comes to children. I am not a proponent of indiscriminate military tactics that result in the death of anyone. I do not like to watch people suffer. With all that said, I am not qualified or intelligent enough to comment on Israel’s military response with Gaza. What I am qualified to say is that I am sick and tired of listening to people, especially self-serving politicians, comment on Israel’s response with Gaza and Hamas. Eighty-three years ago, the United States made the decision to respond to the attack on Pearl Harbor – with atomic bombs. Enough said.

It is estimated that 140,000 of Hiroshima’s 350,000 population were killed by the atomic bomb.
  • Pure talent. We have listened to Luciano Pavarotti, with his booming operatic voice. He had many famous performances, including renditions of “Nessun Dorma,” one of the best-known tenor arias in all opera. “Nessun Dorma” achieved pop status after Pavarotti’s 1972 recording of it was used as the theme song of BBC television’s coverage of the 1990 FIFA World Cup in Italy.

Pavarotti, in this short video, is accompanied by another amazing voice, and one could only imagine the connection between these two amazing performers. :)

With Pavarotti Gone, Does Andrea Bocelli Now Have an Equal?

Adios, pay it forward, be safe, and have a Sunday Funday! 

Technology. Godzilla Again. February. Hot Spots. Freebird.

Anything Wrong With a 48″ TV In Your Car? Yes, An Oscar Nomination. Comments/Questions? The Council on Foreign Relations. Billy Powell is Pure Talent. 

  • Quote of the Week: It has become appallingly obvious that our technology has exceeded our humanity. – Albert Einstein

Let’s see…. because drivers on America’s highways and interstates are not distracted enough? Ford’s designers and engineers, at a minimum, are tasked with delivering discernible differences with the design and performance of their line of vehicles. Competitive pressure dictates that Ford reinvent how drivers get information and their new Lincoln Nautilus will be Ford’s first offering of the Lincoln Digital Experience. The platform: a 48-inch-wide screen that runs the full width of the windshield, and of course the screen has 4K resolution to match today’s high-end TV screens. Ford touts the ability of the driver to read weather, trip computer, and entertainment information from behind the wheel of a 4,500 lb. automobile/SUV. Do not get me wrong, I really like new technology, especially anything to do with audio and video, but has Ford carried in-vehicle technology a bit too far? 

What Are We Doing?
  • Friends of mine frown upon my admiration for Godzilla. Totally unprovoked, they question my sanity with what I consider one of the best examples of a dynamic character. Godzilla is a force of nature, a villain, a hero, and at the same time an antihero. I have written about Godzilla and have explained to naysayers, amongst other comparisons, there is no comparison between Godzilla and King Kong. I will not bore you with the details, but there is no comparison.

So, to my dear friends, keep giving me grief about Godzilla as what goes around, comes around. Godzilla, the legendary ‘monster,’ has landed his historic first Oscar nomination. A well-deserved one at that. Who would not want to see the epic, Godzilla Minus One? :)

The Man, The Beast, The Hero. Just Sayin’.

The first month of 2024 is already done. Here are some thoughts and questions as we head into February.

  • I caught some flack over last week’s post, specifically my statement about Nikki Haley’s quote. One reader suggested (called me) a racist. It is possible the context of what I wrote read wrong or maybe some people took the statement the wrong way. To all: I write this blog to get comments, feedback, and questions…but if you refer to me as a racist, check yourself. 110% wrong.
  • She was a mom, a businessperson, a gatherer, tough, loving, and empathetic all at the same time. Carol, rest in peace. 
  • Later today is my favorite day of the NFL season. To me, the NFC and AFC championship games are so great to watch. Not that I am not looking forward to Super Bowl LVIII but starting today at 3pm EST is usually seven hours of great fun.
  • How long does the U.S. and Great Britain abstain from a ground war in Yemen to eradicate the Houthi rebels? The Houthis attacked another commercial ship on Friday and slowly but surely, supply chain issues are starting to bubble up. Enough said.
  • Anyone familiar with ‘loud budgeting?’ As much as I can tell, it is a Gen Z mantra complaining about their financial circumstances and how expensive things are. I have an answer, but I am not sure many Gen Zers want to hear it.
  • Driving under the influence of alcohol is seriously wrong. Arrested and charged with DUI in the state of Florida usually results in a big fine, license suspension, vehicle impoundment, and sometimes being jailed. Above and beyond those consequences, your father being Hulk Hogan cannot be good. Good luck, ‘Bubba.’ 
The Hulkster and His Son.
  • As described on their website: The Council on Foreign Relations (CFR) is an independent, nonpartisan membership organization, think tank, and publisher dedicated to being a resource for its members, government officials, business executives, journalists, educators and students, civic and religious leaders, and other interested citizens in order to help them better understand the world and the foreign policy choices facing the United States and other countries. Founded in 1921, CFR takes no institutional positions on matters of policy.

I have heard about the CFR in the past but never really dug into what they do. As a think tank the CFR provides a massive amount of unbiased information about foreign relations and to dumb it down, what is actually going on with countries around the world. One bit of information they provide is called the Global Conflict Tracker, an interactive guide to ongoing conflicts around the world, and how those conflicts concern the United States. The Global Conflict Tracker map displays close to thirty conflicts with background information and resources on each conflict.

When you listen to people complain about the United States, have them look at this map and the list below. At whatever level, we should be thankful. https://www.cfr.org/global-conflict-tracker/

Americas
Criminal Violence in Mexico
Instability in Haiti
Venezuela Crisis
Asia
Instability in Afghanistan
Territorial Disputes in the South China Sea
North Korea Crisis
Instability in Pakistan
Conflict Between India and Pakistan
Confrontation Over Taiwan
Civil War in Myanmar
Europe and Eurasia
War in Ukraine
Nagorno-Karabakh Conflict
Middle East and North Africa
Conflict in Syria
Instability in Iraq
Instability in Lebanon
Conflict Between Turkey and Armed Kurdish Groups
Israeli-Palestinian Conflict
Civil Conflict in Libya
War in Yemen
Violent Extremism in the Sahel
Confrontation With Iran
Sub-Saharan Africa
Conflict in the Central African Republic
Conflict in the Democratic Republic of Congo
Instability in South Sudan
Conflict With Al-Shabaab in Somalia
Conflict in Ethiopia

  • BEST IRISH TEXT MESSAGE OF ALL TIME: “Mary, I am just having one more pint with the lads. If I am not home in twenty minutes, read this message again.”
  • I often discuss what I refer to as ‘pure talent.’ The discussion can relate to different types of artists, scientists, and athletes, but for me it always comes back to music. I am all good with many people not being fans of Lynyrd Skynyrd, a Jacksonville, Florida-based band, named after one of their high school teachers. Southern rock and blues are not always fan favorites, but if you spent any time in the southeastern United States in 70s, 80s, and 90s, you listened to Lynyrd Skynyrd. The band, like many of that era, had many eye-opening stories, but one that still sticks with me to this day is about one of their band members, Billy Powell.  

As Gary Rossington explains in the first video below, it was only a heavy rainstorm that allowed the band to discover Billy Powell’s amazing keyboard skills. The second video, an ancient one at that, gives us a brief glance at Billy Powell’s opening to the song Freebird. Do not even tell me that you did not like the song Freebird…do not.

Yes, I am envious of really talented people. Billy Powell was pure talent. 

Adios, pay it forward, be safe, and have a Sunday Funday!

Risk. Boom. Laser. Questions. Cold Weather? The Guitar. T-Pain.

No Risk, No Reward.  MACH 1.5.  Knock It Down. Do You Have Answers? ”You Know That Detroit Has a Dome?” Jimi Hendrix. More Pure Talent. 

I truly believe in this Quote of the Week – “He who is not courageous enough to take risks will accomplish nothing in life.”– Muhammad Ali

  • Regarding risk: NASA is halfway through the testing of its experimental supersonic aircraft named the X-59. This is NASA’s venture into supersonic flight, which was banned back in 1973 due to the sonic booms evoked by the plane’s speed and velocity. There was nothing like the dishes in your kitchen’s pantry shaking and clattering when a supersonic aircraft flew over your house followed by a sonic boom.

Due to the design of the X-59, NASA is hoping that the aircraft, flying faster than the speed of sound (Mach 1, which is 761 miles per hour), will fly much more quietly than previous supersonic jets and not generating a loud sonic boom. ‘Lucky’ communities across the U.S. will be selected for the X-59 to do flyovers with the purpose of collecting data for regulators to consider rules that currently ban commercial supersonic flight over land because of noise concerns. It is all about the shape and design of the aircraft, especially the long nose of the plane that helps mitigate the boom sound with flying faster than speed of sound. 

If the testing goes well and the X-59 morphs into a commercial passenger aircraft, we are looking at jets flying at Mach 1.5, or approximately 1,100 miles per hour. How does New York to London in three hours ‘sound’?

New York to London in three hours sounds about right.
  • Speaking of things flying above the earth. Maybe it was Ronald Reagan’s Star Wars technology, or was it the Star Wars trilogy? Whatever the inspiration was, we now have witnessed GROUND-BASED laser technology and systems that Japan is testing to clean up space ‘junk’. Since the dawn of the space age in the 1950s, humankind has launched almost 50,000 tons of material into space, about 10,000 tons of which remains in orbit, according to the ESA, which cited data from the U.S Space Surveillance Network. And of the 15,880 satellites launched into space since 1957, 10,590 of them – the majority of which remain operational – continue to whiz around in space at high speeds as of September, the space agency says.

Amazing, and a bit scary, one can only think of the damage a deranged person could do with this type of technology. Osaka-based EX-Fusion is vying to become the first to use lasers from the ground to eliminate the debris from Earth’s orbit, and hopefully that is all they plan to eliminate. Here is a very interesting and alarming video of how Israel is deploying laser weaponry.  

Are There Limits to What Laser Weaponry Can Do?

I Have Questions and I would Appreciate Your Answers: 

  • Did the Justice Department, above and beyond antitrust, block the JetBlue acquisition of Spirit Airlines for undisclosed reasons? Have you ever flown Spirit Airlines?
  • Of course, I stay away from politics, but I will ask the question this way: Did the former Governor of South Carolina state that the United States was not/is not a racist country? That is a question, not a statement.
  • With U.S. airstrikes on Houthi rebels in Yemen not being effective, what next steps does the U.S. take with stopping their attacks on vessels in the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden?
  • What are the key milestones required for consumer demand to grow with electric vehicles? Ford’s production planning geared up their F-150 Lightning pickup for 150,000 vehicles. Recent forecasts level sets sales for 2024 at 30,000 trucks. ”Just missed.”
  • What are the drivers of U.S. oil production which are now at record levels? What does this level of production mean for fuel prices at your local gas pump? Is this increase in response to shipping lane disruptions in the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden?
  • Can someone who lives and breathes the financial world shed some light on the economic downturn, the ‘soft landing’, and recessionary pressure? The S&P 500 and Dow Jones hit all-time highs on Friday with the Nasdaq at a two-year best. Someone please explain where we are heading – it is already the third week of the new year. 
  • Why did sixteen college football players make more money this season than standout San Francisco 49er quarterback Brock Purdy? Oh, I KNOW the answer…I am just venting. 
  • I have the utmost respect for broadcast journalists, reporters, and all the production personnel who are behind everything we see and hear. With that said, it is imperative that journalists do their research and homework before asking questions, especially to an NFL head coach preparing his team for a road game at Detroit. To Todd Bowles: kudos to you for handling this so well. 
Detroit Has A Dome!!!
  • This past week, another conflict with a good friend of mine. Heated, passionate, and absurd, we argued the point of the greatest guitarist of all time. I know there is no clear-cut answer, but for me, and always, it will be Jimi Hendrix. To me, Hendrix was the most innovative guitarist, unafraid to proliferate the use of different melodies, squeals, shredding, acoustics, and effects with his left-handed playing style. Do not get me wrong, amazing guitarists including Jeff Beck, Prince, Jimmy Page, Eric Clapton, Eddie Van Halen, Lou Reed, and Duane Allman always brought a smile to my face, but Hendrix to me stands above the others – pure talent. What I also liked about Hendrix was his humility. You only need to watch the first thirty seconds of this video to realize that he was true to himself. Are there many better songs that resonate with guitar skill than the classic “All Along the Watchtower?” I do not think so.
Jimi Hendrix, bar none. 
  • Speaking of pure talent, Faheem Rashad Najm is known for his rap, R&B, and hip-hop skills, but for many years many have considered him one of the best acoustic performers of all time. His stage name is T-Pain, and what he does with the song Tennessee Whiskey, made relevant by country artist Chris Stapleton, is amazing. Early on in his career, T-Pain was ridiculed for using ‘auto-tune’ (think of auto-tune as Photoshop for music). Obviously, there is no auto-tune engaged in this live performance…just an amazing voice and performance. Bret: thank you for the reminder of T-Pain. Maybe someone should ask Chris Stapleton to perform T-Pain’s “I Am in Love with A Stripper?” 🙂
This Man’s Voice is Incredible. 

Adios, pay it forward, be safe, and have a Sunday Funday!

Clarity. Five Questions. Technology. Talent.

Moving On. Do You Have Answers? Chiplets. A Fistful of Dollars. 

  • A friend gave me a book right after the holidays. He assumed it was an easy read and that I would enjoy the takes from Robert Glazer, a global business leader and national bestselling author. Titled Friday Forward, the book’s objective is to provide inspiration and motivation to end your work week stronger than it started. The book contains fifty-two weeks of inspirational stories, taking in one story a week for a year. I just finished week two, a three-minute read titled “Moment of Clarity.” Glazer narrowcasts the word ‘clarity’, with the notion that while most of us know what we want, we are often afraid to even acknowledge it, much less pursue it. A sentence in the chapter really did resonate with me: “Gaining clarity might mean that we face a relationship that, in our gut, we know is doomed or move on from a career that isn’t going anywhere or doesn’t fulfill us.” Reflecting back, this sentence is so true. 

A big thank you to Jim, for giving me this easy read. I really look forward to the next fifty chapters. 

Five Questions for Mid-January

  • Does the U.S. and the U.K. move to an all-out assault of the Houthi rebels in Yemen? Do disruptions in the Red Sea lead to supply chain issues? 
  • What is the go-forward with Gaza once the Israelis feel like they have eliminated Hamas? Who governs Gaza?
  • How will future Covid-19 variants and other airborne pathogens be designated by the WHO and the CDC? Another pandemic or an endemic? Are pandemics and endemics mutually exclusive? 
  • Will $4.7 billion in economic aid from the IMF help Argentina help correct the country’s financial woes? South America’s second largest country has an annual inflation rate of 211%. Not good.
  • Hertz, after making a huge investment to support their EV fleet of cars, is selling off their EV cars due to “hidden costs.” Anyone with an electric vehicle care to chime in?

Quote of the Week: – from Sir Edmund Hillary:

“You don’t have to be a fantastic hero to do certain things—to compete. You can be just an ordinary chap, sufficiently motivated to reach challenging goals.”

Understatement of the Week – from the editor of a travel website reflecting on the state of many airlines’ ‘exclusive’ customer lounges:

“This is a very natural change, and I expect it to continue rising until demand and supply balance out. It is even my own personal opinion that there are too many people in these lounges at the moment, and sometimes it’s difficult to find a place to sit down.”

  • From my longtime friend Rick S. He sent me this list of ten breakthrough technologies for 2024. Some are quite interesting; some I really do not understand. That could be due to the list being created by the MIT Technology Review. 🙂
  • Artificial Intelligence (AI) will continue to not only reshape the tech industry but our everyday lives.
  • Super-efficient Solar Cells will take advantage of a layer of tiny crystals to dramatically increase the ability of solar panels to be more efficient, create a greater range of electricity, and reduce carbon emissions. To my tech and power generation friends: What is stopping solar power from being used with automobiles, buses, and other types of vehicular mobility? 
  • Apple Vision Pro headsets. The technology that is now used by military pilots and surgeons will morph into the consumer market. I love the technology, but I am not sure I am ready to experience augmented and virtual reality as part of my normal day. This is Apple’s reveal of this amazing headset.
  • Weight-loss Drugs dealing with what has become an epidemic of worldwide obesity. There are reports and research that medications like Mounjaro and Wegovy could help protect against heart attacks and strokes.
  • Enhanced Geothermal Systems, due to engineering challenges, is still in its infancy stage. As engineers unleash solutions for new drilling techniques there will be a better endgame with using the Earth’s heat to produce clean energy. This is way above my pay grade; does anyone want to elaborate on this energy technology? Tracy A.: care to help us understand this?
  • Chiplets are small, specialized chips that can be linked together to make computers faster and more efficient. This technology dovetails with the topic of quantum computing, which I discussed a few weeks ago…and subsequently put many readers to sleep. 
  • Gene-editing Treatments sound a bit scary, but both the U.S. and UK have given the bio-tech company Vertex regulatory approval to use gene-editing to help fight diseases including sickle-cell. This type of biotechnology could be a game-changer.
  • Exascale Computing can now perform more than an exaflop’s worth of calculations (that’s a 1 followed by 18 zeros). These new machines will allow scientists to perform sophisticated simulations of the climate, nuclear fission, turbulence, and much more. Cost of this type of computing system = $390 million, and that cost does include installation. Check Amazon for better deals.
  • Heat Pumps sales have gone vertical and for the first time have surpassed gas furnace sales. Benefits of heat pumps include higher heating efficiency, less expensive to run, no threat of gas or carbon monoxide, and it does not burn fossil fuels. One key downside to heat pumps: Since heat pumps need electricity to run, they won’t work if the power goes out. This can make it challenging to heat your home in the event of power failure, especially this weekend in places like Kansas City. 
  • Twitter Killers….there is no need to explain how and why alternatives to “X” like Threads and Bluesky are gaining traction.

The MIT Technology Review did ask their readers what technology breakthroughs are missing from the list. Some of those included robotaxis, thermal batteries, lab-grown meat, and SpaceX’s Starship rocket. Thoughts?

  • I am often amazed at the pure level of musical talent exhibited by many around the world. To this day I wish I had taken the time to learn to play an instrument. I had my excuses but reflecting back, I could have taken forty-five minutes a day to learn piano, or the organ, which sat five steps from my bedroom door. Whether the musical talent is young children or a symphony orchestra, I am often awe-struck by their talent. This performance by the Danish National Symphony Orchestra is pure talent. Composed by Ennio Morricone, the theme from A Fistful of Dollars (one of many Clint Eastwood spaghetti Westerns), features an amazing score of complexity and composition. Amazing talent. Note: this is from IMDB: Morricone was hired by director Sergio Leone for A Fistful of Dollars (1964) on the strength of some of his song arrangements. His score for that film, with its sparse arrangements, unorthodox instrumentation (bells, electric guitars, harmonicas, the distinctive twang of the Jew’s harp) and memorable tunes, revolutionized the way music would be used in Westerns, and it is hard to think of a post-Morricone Western score that doesn’t in some way reflect his influence. Although his name will always be synonymous with the spaghetti Western, Morricone has also contributed to a huge range of other film genres: comedies, dramas, thrillers, horror films, romances, art movies, exploitation movies – making him one of the film world’s most versatile artists.
An Amazing Score from A Fistful of Dollars.

Adios, pay it forward, be safe, and have a Sunday Funday!

Seven Steps. People. Clooney. Donate. Life. To The Moon. Sing It!

Strategy For Your Life. Excellence Is Expected. It Is All About Amal. The Humane Society. We Exist Against All Odds.  NASA’s Lunar Strategy. A Great Performance. 

  • Three of my friends and I formed a small group over a year ago. We discuss the beginning of the year, avoiding New Year’s resolutions but discussing things in our life we are going to change. More than an excuse for a fun dinner fueled by a bottle of wine or two, our group discussion, as pointed out by this consultant in a Harvard Business Review video, really focuses in on our life strategy: “An integrated set of choices that positions a person to live a great life.”

The seven steps comparing corporate strategy and life strategy very much align, with step seven being the key: How can I ensure successful, sustained change? I really enjoyed how this consultant explained social comparison, where you are always comparing yourself with other people in certain areas. Who would have thought that your life can be divided into sixteen strategic life units, with the ultimate goal of creating and sustaining the life you want? The two-by-two strategic life portfolio is a great way to visually plot the level of importance compared to your level of satisfaction with your sixteen life units. The consultant gives us a great quote from the philosopher Seneca: “If you do not know which port you are sailing to, no wind is favorable.“

I will propose this exercise with my other group members at our next dinner. The video does have a short break that you can exit after five seconds, but this nine-minute video is worth the watch.

Strategize Your Life
  • Quote of the week. I did change one word:

“Be a yardstick of quality. Some MANY people aren’t used to an environment where excellence is expected.“ – Steve Jobs

  • I am not one to watch award shows, though I do have to say that the presenters and winners have slowed their roll over the years with their political diatribes. I do remember Tina Fey burying the talented George Clooney many years ago. A classic salute to women – with Clooney taking it in stride.
  • Whatever Humane Society you support, please donate to this great cause. This note is from my Atlanta-based friend Samir, who runs the Board of the Atlanta Humane Society. Please note the Atlanta chapter’s work in Gainesville, Florida. Dear Friends: The Atlanta Humane Society “Day of Giving” is on February 15th, and as I do every year, I am reaching out to seek your support. Thank you for the tremendous support you demonstrated last year, and I am hoping for a repeat 🙂.

In my role as the chairman of the board of directors of the Atlanta Humane Society, I witness the profound impact your donations have on the essential services we provide. In the past year, we distributed nearly 170 tons of pet food to families and small animal shelters in need, we facilitated over 175,000 interactions with pets and their caring families, and we rescued more than 300 abused and maltreated animals. Additionally, our East Lake low-cost vet center provided services to countless pets in desperate need for medical attention. This year, we expanded to a new location in Gainesville, Florida and our team is working on expanding the same low-cost model initiative in Georgia and throughout the Southeast.

In the last few years and due to the pandemic, my aim to organize “Puppies Party” for the children at Scottish Rite Hospital using your donations faced challenges. My hope is for the hospital to relax its policy this year so we can restart this wonderful tradition, and put smiles on the faces of these resilient children.

To make a tax-deductible donation, please visit Samir’s fundraising page for Atlanta Humane Society. https://give.atlantahumane.org/fundraiser/5137623

Your support is genuinely appreciated, and I encourage you to forward this email to fellow animal lovers in your network. Thank you, Samir.

I am not asking but suggesting that if half the people on the JustMyTake distribution list contribute $50 to this important cause, Samir will get off to a great start with his Humane Society fundraising effort.

  • “We are alive against stupendous odds.” I have never thought about the reality of life this way, but as usual, Dr. Neil deGrasse Tyson nets it out. A very interesting perspective. 
An Interesting Perspective.
  • “It will open up the moon as a place where there’s so many companies doing business, that when we want to do something that’s more than just landing stuff on the moon.” This quote is not from Star Trek’s Admiral James T. Kirk. This quote is from Joel Kearns, NASA’s deputy associate administrator for exploration in the Science Mission Directorate. Kearns is explaining the hopeful launch of the New Vulcan Centaur rocket, the first of many missions under NASA’s Commercial Lunar Payload Services contract. The rocket, from commercial space technology company United Launch Alliance (ULA), will travel for twelve days to the moon, enter several weeks of different altitude orbits, and on February 23, drop a lunar lander descending from sixty-two miles to the surface of the moon.

If the landing is goes off as planned (only half of the previous missions deploying equipment and materials to the moon’s surface have been successful), the Astrobotic Technology lunar lander will deploy its payloads, which include a myriad of equipment to measure and indicate levels of water, carbon dioxide, methane and lunar radiation. Along for the ride are five lunar rovers, as well as payloads from five different countries.

The cause and effect of commercial space exploration continues to be mind-boggling as the U.S. Space Force command leverages the private sector to strengthen U.S. commercial and military space systems. Cross your fingers that this mission and lunar deployment are successful – the go-time is early tomorrow morning, January 8th.  

  • We have all attended events that have started off with someone giving it their best shot with the U.S. national anthem. I have been told many times that the anthem is a difficult song to perform, and unfortunately, we have experienced talented singers having a tough time with Francis Scott Key’s Star-Spangled Banner. Kudos to the L.A. Galaxy staff member who elected to have this young lady perform. Wow!!
Have You Heard a Better Rendition?

Adios, pay it forward, be safe, and have a Funday Sunday!

Predictions. Risk. College Sports. Bad Optics. The Catch.

What Does 2024 Bring Us?   “Fly Me To The Moon…”  NIL & The Transfer Portal. College Athletes and Cigars? Foul Ball. 

Happy 2024. The start of a new year brings us opportunity, insight, challenge, and the unknown. I do not make new year resolutions but I will take a stab at a few predictions for 2024. Some of these will align me with MOTO (master of the obvious) but this is JustMyTake: 

  • The global economy will improve and the U.S. will lead the way with a slow recovery led by the Fed methodically lowering EFFR, better known as the Fed rate.
  • Continued regulation regarding the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) will not get in the way of this technology being part of our everyday lives.

Speaking of AI, this is funny….or not? MY WIFE ASKED ME WHY I SPOKE SO SOFTLY IN THE HOUSE. I SAID I WAS AFAID MARK ZUCKERBERG WAS LISTENING. SHE LAUGHED. ALEXA LAUGHED. SIRI LAUGHED. 

  • The continued severity of global climate events will dictate governments stepping in with more regulation, specifically surrounding carbon emissions.
  • Further advancements with healthcare technology and research will lead the way with breakthroughs helping to cure Alzheimer’s disease.
  • As outlined below, accessible commercial space travel to the edge of the Earth’s atmosphere becomes available this year.
  • United States astronauts will return to the moon – including the first woman to step on that surface.
  • Unfortunately, the Israel-Hamas conflict will wage on through the end of the year.
  • The Baltimore Ravens win the Super Bowl and France will be the Euro 2024 champion.
  • The U.S. presidential election. Nope, I am not going there. :)
  • Risk mitigation is part and parcel of operating costs – with different entities having variable thresholds of risk. The risk management process consists of three parts: risk assessment and analysis, risk evaluation, and risk treatment. It is quite obvious that the building owner and general contractor of the Chrysler Building had no time to deal with risk mitigation. “A special breed” is the understatement of the New Year!
…And we think riding in an autonomous vehicle is a bit scary…………
  • Speaking of risk…..I previously wrote about Space Perspective, the Titusville, Florida space technology company now ready to take commercial passengers to the edge of space. Passengers will be in a very interesting capsule which will reach an altitude of 100,000 feet, tethered to and pulled upward by a 650-foot-tall balloon filled with hydrogen. Your six-hour adventure will cost you $125,000 so book for 2025, as 2024 is already sold out. Yes, the capsule has a bar and a bathroom. Perfect. 
A Great Experience or a Bust? No pun intended. 
  • In August of 2021, a U.S. Supreme Court ruling changed the landscape of college athletics allowing athletes to profit from their name, image, and likeness, now known as the everyday acronym NIL. College athletes, above and beyond their scholarship and perks, now can be paid similar to any other person for their partnership or endorsement with a business and brand. Research done by Ohio State University estimates that a good college football player, with a large fanbase, can earn NIL money averaging $650,000. Texas quarterback Arch Manning, who has a last name synonymous with football, is worth $2.9 million with trading card company Panini America. Eighty-five Utah players, all on scholarship, received brand new Dodge Ram pickup trucks. Yes, these are COLLEGE football players.

The other part of college athletics that changes everything is the ability for athletes to change schools without having to sit out one season before eligibility. The Transfer Portal was created as a compliance tool to systematically manage the transfer process from start to finish, add more transparency to the process among schools and empower student-athletes to make known their desire to consider other programs.

Combine ‘NIL’ and the transfer portal and the net result is a top college football player, based on his new school’s ‘NIL account’, can enter the transfer portal to change to a school where they can receive a greater amount of NIL money. I do not have the facts, but one example may be former Florida standout running back Trevor Etienne, who announced via X (formerly known as Twitter), that he is transferring to Georgia and will be eligible to play for the Bulldogs next season (instead of the former rule dictating that a player who transfers schools must sit out one year before being eligible to compete). 

Don’t get me wrong, I am a UGA supporter, but one must wonder if Etienne is immediately transferring due to Georgia losing its two top running backs or because of a guarantee of a large amount of NIL money? If Alabama or Texas came to the table with more NIL money, would Etienne have ended up transferring to one of those schools? 

The college football world is forever changed and in my opinion not necessarily for the better. The JustMyTake distribution list includes many people involved with sports, media, and law…what is your take?

  • “The optics look bad.” Speaking of college football and the changing landscape, I think the Georgia Tech athletics director should take corrective action with his college football coaching staff. The behavior of the athletes, after a meaningless win in the infamous Gasparilla Bowl, was shocking to me. Smoking cigars on the sideline during the game? What kind of message does that send to their alumni, partners, sponsors, and more importantly the children watching that game? In a word, disgusting. 
  • On the opposite side of sports, let’s leave the first post of 2024 with maybe one of greatest catches of all time, including the Willie Mays over the shoulder catch of 1954. The video resolution is wonky but it really does not matter. Watch this young lady track and catch this line drive foul ball. 
Are You Kidding Me?

Adios, pay it forward, be safe, and have a great 2024! 

NORAD, For the Children.

Do Not Challenge A Two-Star General After He Details A Mission Critical Engagement.

First, a bit of background on the North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD).

  • NORAD is charged with the missions of aerospace warning, aerospace control, and maritime warning for North America.
  • Aerospace warnings include the detection, validation, and warning of attack against North America whether by aircraft, missiles, or space vehicles.
  • NORAD is bunkered within Cheyenne Mountain near Colorado Springs, Colorado, more than 2,000 feet under the mountain with sealable doors weighing 23 tons.
  • NORAD, as they have done every year for sixty-eight years, commenced their annual mission to track Santa Claus, going to full operational mode at 6am EST this morning.
  • The mission expense is offset by corporate donors and involves over 1,000 volunteers who via a NORAD hotline, receive over 130,000 calls from all over the globe from children wanting to know when Santa is coming to their home.

General Glen VanHerck is the Commander of NORAD, and reports directly to the President of the United States and the Prime Minister of Canada. General VanHerck recently stated in no uncertain way that one of the most important services and missions NORAD provides will continue this week. The mission: since 1955, NORAD has tracked Santa on December 24, using “all available personnel and technology” to ensure that children around the world have a chance to see where Santa is in real time.

In a recent press conference, a question posed to General VanHerck challenged the December 24th mission as a non-essential use of funds and personnel. After a long stare down, General VanHerck told the journalist that he was “out of line and to stand down or be escorted out of the press conference.” There were no more questions for General VanHerck.

Last week, at a Pentagon press conference, the media again received direct communication that NORAD would go into full operational mode to track Santa. No, there were no questions. 

https://www.noradsanta.org/en/

Adios, pay it forward, be safe, and have a very, Merry Christmas. 

Quantum. Things I Think.

Super Fast Computations. The Good, the Bad, the Ugly. 

Last week, I provided a take discussing why developmental biologists think anthrobots made from a person’s own tissue could be used to clear arteries, break up mucus, or deliver drugs, with or without genetic engineering, and how this may change our lives in the very near future.

This week, influenced by a 60 Minutes segment last Sunday night, I dive into the world of quantum computing and how it will also change our lives. As a baseline, here is why quantum computing is so important: Quantum computing is a multidisciplinary field comprising aspects of computer science, physics, and mathematics that utilizes quantum mechanics to solve complex problems faster than on classical computers. The field of quantum computing includes hardware research and application development.

So what to “solve complex problems faster than on classical computers?” Do we not have supercomputing capabilities to solve problems in a faster way? Do we not have powerful computing right now that provides simulations to solve problems with energy, manufacturing, healthcare, and transportation?

The answer to these questions = yes, but let’s try to compare today’s powerful computing with what quantum computing will offer up. Without exploring quantum computing dynamics that I cannot understand, here is the basic performance premise: 

Computing for the most part was developed on a binary platform, which we all use day in and day out. With the exponential increase in the volumes of data to process, binary computing (1’s and 0’s) limit the performance, speed, and results with processing applications and analytics. In summary, classical (binary) computers generally return one result, limiting the power of decisions.

Quantum computing allows simultaneous analysis allowing data to be processed at amazing speed, providing multi-dimensional analysis and analytics. Unlike binary processing, quantum computers return a diversity of results, offering a much better and faster solution to data analysis and workflow, and a much higher rate of validity of that data. 

Multi-dimensional analysis derived from quantum computing that even I can understand…sort of:

Processing data in multi-dimensional space enables a quantum computer to solve a large set of variables simultaneously, which dramatically accelerates the results. This example is from the QCI, a technology company focusing on quantum computing:

  • Let’s take a simple problem (a 4×4) that has 16 potential combinations that could meet a constrained objective.
  • Classic computers have to check the validity of each option to see if it is true or false that it meets the criteria.
  • Thanks to multi-dimensional analysis, a quantum computer can check all sixteen options simultaneously.
  • Now apply that to problems with hundreds of thousands of potential combinations and you see the power of quantum computing. 

Now that I have put you to sleep, let’s just net out the benefits of quantum computing. Quantum computing is a new generation of technology that involves a type of computer 158 million times faster than the most sophisticated supercomputer we have in the world today. It is a device so powerful that it could do in four minutes what it would take a traditional supercomputer 10,000 years to accomplish. This is all very difficult for me to comprehend, but if you find last Sunday’s 60 Minutes segment or watch the video below, the reality of what quantum computing can and will do is mind-boggling.

In the last few weeks I have discussed artificial intelligence (AI), androids and anthrobots, and now quantum computing. My point is that these three complex technologies combined have and will continue to change our lives. For the better, or for the worse, you can decide. 

The Technology To Make Data Analysis and Decision-Making Faster and Better.

The Good, the Bad, the Ugly

Orlando’s fixed-price restaurant month between August and September raised $270,000 for various charities in central Florida. A very cool way to give back.

Regarding central Florida, the weather here is so nice. I can wait a long time for the ninety-degree weather that starts as early as mid-May. 

Have you been to Nepal? My Lyft driver, who has been in New York City for seven years, gave me the run down on this land-locked country which sits between India and China in South Asia. Yes, this is the region of the world known for the Himalayas and Mount Everest, the highest mountain peak in the world. I am not a ‘trekker’ but I would like to visit this part of the world.

Two Mega-Millions jackpot tickets were sold at the same convenience store in California. Come on conspiracy theorists!!

Speaking of money…..The Los Angeles Dodgers signed Shohei Ohtani to a ten-year, $700 million contract. Enough said.

I am in Brooklyn and then Manhattan for the next few days. If you take away the mass amount of humans, Manhattan is glowing during the holiday season.

While I am in Manhattan, I will stop by Rockefeller Center to look at the massive Christmas tree and the ice-skating fun. Here is what I will not be doing atop Rockefeller Center: 

In A Word…..NO.

As if Elon Musk is not strange enough, take a look at Tesla’s new Cybertruck. I have been involved with the world of design/build for a long time. I have always challenged designers to ‘think out of the box’ and provide a myriad of creative concepts. Those design concepts are vetted and narrow casted into a final design that achieves the goals, objectives, and criteria of the project. Regarding the Cybertruck, who the hell approved this design? 

                                    Seriously?

The Israel-Gaza and Russia-Ukraine wars are obviously top-of-mind. My head in the sand moment: reading that there are forty-five other conflicts in the Middle East and Africa, twenty-one in Asia, seven in Europe, and six in Latin America. Think territory, religion, greed, and drugs. Sad, but true.

As the holidays approach, and considering the Good, the Bad, and the Ugly in today’s world, let’s end the year with a feel good moment. The Masaka Kids Africana is composed of children who have lost one or both parents due to “the devastation of war, famine, and disease”. Their goal is to empower children by mobilizing communities and support them with more structured education. The Masaka Kids are from Uganda. Enjoy.

Wow!!!!!!

I am traveling and celebrating the Holidays and will post again on Sunday, January 7th of the new year. Best wishes to all for Happy Holidays, and a safe and fulfilling 2024! 

Adios, pay it forward, be safe, and Happy Holidays to all. 

Biobots. Henry. EV Mandates. Honor.

The Androids Are Coming! Kissinger, The Statesman And Villain. Have We Actually Planned For EVs? “You’ll Never Walk Alone”

“Not everything that is faced can be changed, but nothing can be changed until it is faced.” – James Baldwin

  • When the word android comes up in conversation, it usually describes a device (phone or computer) that uses the Android operating system. For this take, I am discussing the other android, the one that Hollywood exemplified via movies like RoboCop, Terminator, Ex Machina, and Alien. The android, by definition, is a robot designed to look or behave like a human being. All the movies I listed, plus many more, used some semblance of an android as an antagonist, or in some cases a hero. Whether we gave credence to the use of androids in movies or not, the forefront of artificial intelligence is allowing the android to become part of the thread of our existence.

Scientists somehow have developed tiny robots made of human cells. These scientists, after years of research and laboratory testing, have discovered these tiny robots, a.k.a. ‘anthrobots’, are capable of reproducing characteristics of man, imitating distinctive features such as appearance and movements. The initial objective of this research and development is focused on healthcare, investigating how anthrobots can provide therapeutic potential using human tissue grown in the laboratory. Have I lost you yet?

To be a bit more clear, here is the net result of the laboratory testing and experiments: To test the anthrobots’ therapeutic potential, the developmental biologists placed several anthrobots into a small dish (think Biology 101). There, the anthrobots fused together to form a ‘superbot’, which the researchers placed on a layer of neural tissue that had been scratched. Within three days, the sheet of neurons had completely healed under the superbot. This was surprising because “the anthrobot cells were able to perform this repair function without requiring any genetic modification.”

Going forward, developmental biologists think anthrobots made from a person’s own tissue could be used to clear arteries, break up mucus, or deliver drugs, with or without genetic engineering. By combining several cell types and exploring other stimuli, it might also be possible to develop biobots — robots made from biological material — with potential applications in sustainable construction and outer-space exploration. I know this reads a bit wonky, but the use of anthrobots and biobots are clearly going to change the way we live…not now, but in the very near future. This short video explains some of the applications of biobots:

How Biobots May Change The Way We Live.
  • He was a veteran, serving with the U.S. Army’s 84th Infantry Division, won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1973, and was the only politician who served as the Secretary of State and National Security Advisor at the same time. He advised both Republican and Democratic presidents, pioneered a policy of detente with the Soviet Union, was instrumental in diplomatically ending the Yom Kippur middle east conflict, and opened up relations with China.

Born Heinz Alfred Kissinger in Furth, Germany, his family was bullied by anti-Semites, forcing them to move to New York in 1938. He soon became an American citizen and was awarded a Bronze Star for his work as a translator in intelligence operations which led to the capture of Gestapo members. The accolades are numerous for Henry Kissinger, who passed away last week at the age of one hundred.

Many called Kissinger an enemy of the state as his negotiations around the world led to the deaths of thousands, with many pointing to him as the reason so many U.S. military personnel lost their lives in the Vietnam War. He was called the master of ‘proxy regimes’ often sabotaging chances to end wars and conflicts with his never-ending level of extending compromise. I remember my father, who fought in the Korean War, was not a supporter of Henry Kissinger. Upon review, my father’s negative take on Kissinger is supported by millions of others.

After reading about Kissinger, I came across this quote from Benazir Bhutto, who was a Pakistani politician and stateswoman who served as the 11th and 13th prime minister of Pakistan from 1988 to 1990 and again from 1993 to 1996. She was the first woman elected to head a democratic government in a Muslim-majority country: “To make peace, one must be an uncompromising leader. To make peace, one must also embody compromise.”

Was Henry Kissinger all about compromise or manipulation, or in his case are these two words interchangeable?

The master of diplomacy or manipulation?
  • I have written, to a point of ad nauseum, my concern with the push from the federal government with electric vehicle (EV) mandates. Whether it stems from our electrical grid infrastructure or the lack of charging stations, it is obvious to me that the EV mandates are premature. The continued development of EV batteries, allowing for greater miles per charge, and the installation of EV charging stations around the country may help satisfy some of my concerns, but the Biden administration’s regulation that would require that two-thirds of new vehicles sold in the U.S. be electric by 2032 is basically ridiculous and unwarranted.

I assume that these mandates were generated by eco-phobic politicians, who used Tesla’s early-stage vehicle demand to support their EV theories. The reality has now set in as automobile dealers across the U.S. are pushing back on the administration’s EV mandates, with a clear message that electric vehicle demand today is not keeping up with the large influx of EVs arriving dealerships prompted by the current regulations.

Last week, 3,882 dealerships across all 50 states have sent a letter to President Biden urging him and his administration to hold off on EV mandates. That is a strong message from a very important sector of the U.S. economy – clearly stating that the majority of customers, for many reasons, are not ready to switch to electric vehicles.

Ironic or not, at the same time these dealers are pushing back on EV mandates, the City of Detroit is adopting a wider acceptance of EVs with the installation of a quarter mile “charging” road, similar to the technology for charging cellphones and other devices. The City of Detroit states that large copper coils are installed under the road to create a magnetic field inducing electric current in a receiver in the car. While these “charged” roads may increase the range EVs can drive between charges, does anyone way smarter than me see issues with a magnetic fields on our highways that induce electric current?

Any Concerns?

Talent is talent. The operatic voice of Cristina Ramos is amazing enough, and then as Gomer Pyle said so eloquently, “Surprise, Surprise, Surprise.” Wow!!!

In A Word, Fantastic!

This Thursday is December 7. If that date is not significant to you, I would strongly suggest you Google December 7. It was only eighty-two years ago. Please fly your flag.

Adios, pay it forward, be safe, and have a Sunday Funday!

Things I Think. Thanks. Now Boarding.

Random Thoughts Heading Into December. A Few Of Many Things I Am Thankful For. The Focker Gate Experience.

With the holiday season in play, here are some top-of-mind things I think:

  • Elon Musk – please use your resources, assets, and technology to help humankind, and stop your racist and antisemitic rants. Just stop.
  • With retailers starting Black Friday earlier and earlier every year, does anyone still rush to their favorite store at 6am on Friday?
  • Last Friday, Wall Street closed out a third straight winning week. Are we really heading to a ‘soft landing’ with the economy, and will 2024 see the Federal Reserve finally done with rate hikes? Note: On Friday, U.S. oil prices fell to a 4-month low.
  • Many people are talking about Ridley Scott’s new movie Napoleon, which hits theatres this week. My pick, of course, is Planes, Trains, and Automobiles or National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation.
  • Will Taylor Swift be at tomorrow night’s Monday night football game between the Philadelphia Eagles and the Kansas City Chiefs? If so, what is the over/under on the number of times the director cuts to Ms. Swift frolicking in her suite? Must-see TV.
  • I am a Deion Sanders supporter, but it looks like the University of Colorado coach and his two football-playing sons are finding out what ‘big-boy’ football is all about. Sanders’ Colorado team lost 56-14 to Washington State on Friday night.
  • Journalism and fabricating stories have an inverse relationship. Charissa Thompson – you have done harm to your peers who have worked so hard to ensure women have opportunities with male-dominated sports broadcasting. Shameful.
Not okay at any level.
  • We have heard for years about Venezuela and their serious socioeconomic plight. What I did not know is that Argentina, a country I somehow assumed had a strong economy, is in its worst financial crisis in years, with annual inflation toping 140%. Latin America’s third largest economy is on track to shrink 3.0% year-over-year, resulting in a shocking cost-of-living crisis.
  • The definition of a self-serving politician: George Santos. George, just go away, somewhere far away.

As we approach the Thanksgiving holiday, here are some general and personal things I am thankful for:

  • The ongoing efforts of first responders and healthcare workers – they are fearless and amazing.
  • For the freedom to vote.
  • For my daughter, son-in-law, and granddaughter.
  • For the technology such as Zoom and FaceTime that sometimes drives us crazy but allows us to spend time together.
  • For my baking skills, though one of my friends has been quite critical that I can do better. Meh.
  • For the sponsors, partners, owners, staff, players, conferences, leagues, and media who bring us live, televised sports.
  • For my friends who bring camaraderie, laughs, and sometimes a good bottle of wine.
  • For the ocean and the mountains.
  • For the weather in Central Florida now being amazing.
  • For all of you, who read my blog, (this being post # 335), offer up suggestions, and comment whether you agree or disagree.
  • Regarding the Thanksgiving holiday, travel starting today through next Sunday is tracking to increase 2.5% over last year as more people will take to the roads, skies, and seas compared to 2022. Most airports are already busy, with an estimated five million people heading to spend time with family or taking a holiday during Thanksgiving week. We have all dealt with the bizarre dynamics at an airport gate and with the boarding process. After millions of dollars spent on time and motion studies, boarding a commercial aircraft is still a dilemma no matter the airline. Regarding the boarding process, the interaction between ‘Focker’ and this gate agent must be part of every airline training manual. Wishing those who do travel this week an easy and seamless travel experience.
The gate agent’s glare at the 0.35 mark is priceless!

Adios, pay it forward, be safe, and have a great Thanksgiving holiday.